1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of an impact to the vehicle. In particular, the invention relates to an air bag module including an air bag.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to inflate an air bag to help protect a vehicle occupant in the event of an impact to a vehicle of a magnitude above a predetermined threshold. The air bag is stored in a deflated condition, together with an inflator, in a portion of the vehicle such as the vehicle steering wheel. In the event of a vehicle collision, the inflator is actuated and provides inflation fluid which inflates the air bag to help protect the vehicle occupant.
Some air bag inflators produce inflation fluid through combustion of a pyrotechnic material. The combustion products in the initial flow of inflation fluid from the inflator may include hot particulate matter or hot gases, which might cause damage to the material of the air bag. It is desirable to prevent such damage from occurring. U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,342 shows an air bag module with a rupturable heat shield for protecting the air bag.
The present invention is an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The apparatus comprises an inflatable vehicle occupant protection device having an inflation fluid opening and being inflatable from a deflated condition to an inflated condition for helping to protect the vehicle occupant. The apparatus also comprises an inflator actuatable to provide inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device. The inflator has a portion extending through the inflation fluid opening and having an outer side surface and an end surface. The inflator has at least one fluid outlet disposed within the inflatable device for directing inflation fluid from the inflator into the inflatable device. The apparatus includes a rupturable cover covering the inflatable device and the inflator. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of flaps having end portions anchored to the inflator and having body portions extending from the end portions. The flaps have a first condition, when the inflatable device is in the deflated condition, in which the body portions of the flaps overlie the fluid outlet and overlie the end surface of the inflator. The flaps are movable in response to the flow of inflation fluid from the fluid outlet from the first condition to a second condition. In the second condition, the flaps are moved away from the end surface of the inflator and away from the fluid outlets to enable flow of inflation fluid into the inflatable device. The flaps block contact between the inflation fluid and the inflatable device upon actuation of the inflator until the cover ruptures and opens.